Are these really welsh harlequin ducks?

[The Raw Mama]

I had a friend of the family drop off 3 welsh harlequin day old ducklings he came across at a sale, knowing I wanted this breed for our homestead. Their bills were dark so I assumed 3 males. One has since died from a leg injury but the other two are very healthy. Seeing as they came from a sale I wasn't at, I am second guessing their looks. They are SO much darker than any welsh harlequin ducklings I've ever seen. I know they change so much so fast but they just seem too dark... am I just paranoid?
This is them the day I got them

This is them after a couple weeks

This is them now

 

[Blue]

I don't think those are Welsh Harlequins. I'm new to ducks, but I've been doing a lot of research on breeds trying to figure out what the 4 I picked up at the feed store are, and none of the Harlequin ducklings I've seen had black tails like that. Maybe they are Silver Appleyards or some kind of cross? http://www.holderreadfarm.com/photogallery/appleyard_page/appleyard_page.htm

 

[Sfraker]

Maybe a WH mix? Mine get dark as they age and look similar to your last pic but they have not started off that dark.

You can see some pics of my ducklings on my facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/willowcreekducks/photos

 

[buff goose guy]

I had a friend of the family drop off 3 welsh harlequin day old ducklings he came across at a sale, knowing I wanted this breed for our homestead. Their bills were dark so I assumed 3 males. One has since died from a leg injury but the other two are very healthy. Seeing as they came from a sale I wasn't at, I am second guessing their looks. They are SO much darker than any welsh harlequin ducklings I've ever seen. I know they change so much so fast but they just seem too dark... am I just paranoid?
This is them the day I got them

This is them after a couple weeks

This is them now

no probably not wh, but wh mixes though

 

[suzy4027]

There's a particular breed that has a stripe on its head as a duckling. Of course, the name of it escapes me.

Not very helpful I know. They deff aren't full WH, but some of the prettiest ducks I've seen are mixes! See what results you get from searching the general duck thread for duckling pics. There's a thread started already. I think. Again, tons of help, I know....

 

[needlessjunk]

There's a particular breed that has a stripe on its head as a duckling. Of course, the name of it escapes me.

Not very helpful I know. They deff aren't full WH, but some of the prettiest ducks I've seen are mixes! See what results you get from searching the general duck thread for duckling pics. There's a thread started already. I think. Again, tons of help, I know....

Apple yards tend to look like welsh harlequin but have the head strip. Or at least it looks like that to me.

I think they are mixes. They are too dark and their feet are really dark to begin with. You can look through my pics and see my WH girl when she was little.

 

[The Raw Mama]

I agree with everyone here...they look like Silver Appleyards. I had no ide how to go about trying to math breed to my ducklings without help so thank you. I can't say that I am disappointed that they aren't Welsh Harlequins because the Appleyards are just as beautiful and still friendly and good egg layers. I know the WH's are drakes as day olds if they have dark beaks. Now that I know they are not WH, I am excited to see if I could have females. They are still just peeping and aren't quite 8 weeks so hopefully their voices start changing soon and maybe give it away.

 

[The Raw Mama]

Just an update...I'm still completely confused about breed with these ducks. They are now 4 months old and about a month ago started resembling a Khaki Cambell.

Now they have a blue wing tip and I'm even more confused!

They look like Rouen's now to me yet they didn't look like a Rouen as ducklings. They looked like Silver Appleyards as ducklings and now they don't. In between, they looked like Khaki Cambell's. WHAT ARE THEY?!!! Please help!

 

[Amiga]

I think you have a mixed breed. And I think they are lovely!

 

[needlessjunk]

I agree that they are mixed. Super cute either way.